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Every now-and-then I come across a project that simply blows me away. Makes me wish I had the skills to create something of a similar nature. Unfortunately, most of these projects involve an advanced knowledge of wood working or a basic knowledge of electronics.
This one falls into the knowledge of electronics category. Maybe one day I will actually read up on and teach myself some of the basics of electronics if just to learn how to create something like this:
Much respect to Angela Yuan (though she might want to work on her website a bit)
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This week we have announcements of two developments that are bound to help out with airport security, protecting us from all thoe people planning to plant weapons in their shoes and making all of our lives easier by not having to take our shoes off at the airport.
First up we have the MagShoe “a high-speed, shoes-on, portable footwear weapons detection system.” It is currently used in Madrid, Prague and Budapest and may be making its way to the US and the UK. Basically it scans your feet for concealed metal objects that may be missed by your standard metal detector. I have to ask though, how does it respond to things like steel-toed boots or shoes with metal shanks (though apparently shoe manufacturers have been dealing with this issue since 2003).
Read more »
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While Josh has kept himself busy posting up and down on the site I have had a more leisurely past few days, relaxing and enjoying the break from everything afforded by Thanksgiving. But now I am back and ready to get posting again.
First up today we have a little something for all of you creative gadget type folks out there. The Discovery channel is working on a show based on Rube Goldberg type inventions, setting up a team of artists, scientists, engineers, architects, designers and other like-minded folks to create Rube Goldberg-like contraptions to do “impossible challenges.” They are looking for folks between 25 and 3.
If you are interested in more information check out the casting call posted on the Make magazine forums.
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I was going to write about an article from the Roanoke Times (shout out to our homie at the Roanoke Times) about the history of toy guns and the new outcry being raised around the Nintendo Wii Zapper.
I even had a witty little intro about mistaking the Wii Zapper (pictured right) for a real gun during a home invasion. But I am just not up to it. I am feeling lousy, my writing (’cause I actually wrote it) was sub-par and not interesting enough to let anyone else read.
Instead, I am just going to post a link to the article here and let you decide for yourself about it. Just to give you an idea of my opinion, I think the quote, “Why don’t they enclose an application to the NRA in every box as well?…The marketing person who came up with this brainchild of an idea should be fired” is one of the more ridiculous I have read in a while. Go figure. It was said by some crazy grandmother from New Jersey.
Rather then get into a debate about whether toy guns are evil and lead to evil things, I’ll let you all make the call.
Though, while growing up, I had the original Nintendo Zapper, a plethora of toy water guns (before the days that required they be outrageous colors), and a bunch of Super-Soakers, I have yet to join the NRA, the Army, or go off on a massive shooting spree. But I must admit, I do enjoy a good water gun fight every now and again.
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The Belfast Telegraph has a list online of 101 Gadgets that, they claim, changed the world. When you have long lists it is always debatable how to organize them, Belfast Telegraph chose to go alphabetically as opposed to, say, date order.
It is an interesting overview and has a really broad, all encompassing feel to it. Of course, how they define “changed the world” is one thing and as a list, it will of course have people going “I can’t believe they thought ________ (fill in included gadget) had a great influence on the world then _______ (fill in gadget that is missing from the list).” Also, their definition of a gadget is questionable. I tend to go with “A small mechanical device or tool” and I guess if pushed I wouldn’t need to include mechanical into the definition. But is ‘Fire’ really a gadget? And did the digital watch really have the same type of world changing impact as the cardiac pacemaker?
And really, I’ve got to ask, how do you include a CD on the list, a walkman, an iPod, but no cassettes?